Geochronology and Petrogenesis of the Early Paleozoic Jilongjie Granites in the Central South China Block: Implication for Post-Kinematic Lithospheric Delamination

Abstract

Controversy over the geodynamic interpretation of the early Paleozoic granites in the South China Block constrains understanding of tectonic–magmatic evolution. In this paper, we present zircon U-Pb age, Hf isotope, and major and trace element data of the early Paleozoic granites in the Jilongjie region, south-central Hunan Province. A sample that yielded a weighted average 206Pb/238U age of 425 ± 3 Ma falls into the post-collisional granite field in the classification discriminant of magmatic rocks. Geochemical features indicate that the Jilongjie pluton is a shoshonitic metaluminous rock. The Jilongjie pluton’s chondrite-normalized rare earth element patterns exhibit a slight enrichment of light rare earth elements (LREEs) relative to heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) with (La/Yb)N ratios of 15.1–23.7 and weak Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.68–0.78). Zircon Hf isotope results show εHf(t) ranging from −9.94 to −0.69. Jilongjie granite’s parent magma originated from a mixing of crust-derived felsic and mantle-derived mafic magmas, which then underwent fractional crystallization during its ascent. Jilongjie granite was generated through a post-collisional extensional setting associated with delamination of the thickened lithosphere.